


Halloween

by JetGirl1832, tomatopudding



Series: Friends Make Life A Lot More Fun [23]
Category: Rent - Larson
Genre: Costumes, Couples Costumes, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 17:28:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10313381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetGirl1832/pseuds/JetGirl1832, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomatopudding/pseuds/tomatopudding
Summary: Maureen may not actually need an excuse to have a party, but Halloween is certainly a good one.October 1992





	

**Author's Note:**

> Isn't the title so imaginative?

**** "Come on Rog it'll be fun!" Mimi begged.   
  
"No, I won't do it," Roger folded his arms resolutely across his chest, "This whole couples costumes thing is stupid."   
  
"Roger," Mimi sat beside him and batted her eyelashes, "please, for me?"   
  
"No," The musician shook his head.   
  
Mimi let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine then, I guess you win."    
  
This was far from the truth. There was no way Mimi was going to give up without putting up more of a fight, and she was certain she was going to win. She noticed Roger giving her a sideways glance, "That's it?"   
  
"That's what?" Mimi replied calmly.   
  
"You're done? You aren't gonna start listing off all the reasons that I should do this?" He asked.   
  
"Nope."   
  
Roger knit his brow together, "Are you sure?"   
  
"Yup," Mimi nodded her head, on the inside she was smirking to herself.

 

Roger was confused and slightly wary. Mimi wasn't one to give up on something like this, especially if it was something she really wanted. He wasn't sure if he should take her giving up at face value or is there was some other hint involved.    
  
"Okay," Roger said still frowning.

 

"Although being Bonnie won't be as much fun without Clyde... Maybe I can ask Mark," she nodded thoughtfully.

 

Roger's jaw tightened, "Bonnie and Clyde," he ground out, "With Mark?"   
  
Mimi's inner smirk became an outer one, although she kept her back to Roger so he couldn't see and figure out that he was falling into her trap.

 

"Yeah, why not?" Mimi shrugged, "I think he might look good in pinstripes, I just hope he isn't planning anything with Riley-"

"Alright," Roger interrupted with a huff, "I'll do your stupid couple costume."

Mimi cheered, clapping her hands excitedly.   
  
"But I won't like it," Roger grumbled warningly.

"You say that now," Mimi grinned, "you'll see, I bet I can change your mind."

"Doubtful," Roger replied firmly.

"Well I guess we'll just have to see!"

 

\-----------

 

"Come on Rog it can't be that bad," Mimi laughed, "I'm sure you look as dashing as always."   
  
"I've never liked wearing suits," Roger sighed as he straightened his tie.

He felt like he was being choked, he hadn't worn a tie since Mark's Bar Mitzvah. He had to admit, the hat was pretty swanky though.

"Well if you won't come out, I'm coming in," Mimi declared as she walked in. She was wearing a burgundy colored dress with stripes along the sleeves and in a V along the top, with a short red jacket over the top. What completed the look was the red kerchief around her neck. "I was right," she smiled, "depression era outlaw suits you!"

Roger almost smiled, but tried to force it down. He would not let Mimi have the satisfaction of seeing him pleased about wearing the classically cut brown suit, a tie tightened up to his throat, and a brown fedora with a darker band above the brim.

"You look edible," Roger told his girlfriend, grinning at the way she blushed with pleasure.

Mimi smiled, "Ready to knock ‘em dead at Mo's party?" she teased as she twirled the toy gun she was holding.

Roger snagged the toy gun away and moved in close, backing her against the bathroom door frame. Mimi met him halfway for a chaste kiss.

"We could just stay here," Roger suggested conspiratorially, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh but where's the fun in that?" Mimi gripped onto the lapels of his jacket and kissed him on the cheek fully knowing she left a red mark of lipstick, "It would be so dull to stay in."

Roger sighed, but inwardly he was rather pleased. He found himself wanting to show off his new threads.

Mimi let go of his lapels and straightened them out, "You might want to take care of that," she giggled as she rubbed at the lipstick  stain.

Roger knit his brow together and put his hand where hers was and he noticed the red stain on his finger tips.

"Minx," Roger teased, leaning into the bathroom so he could use the mirror to get the mark off. Once that was done, he took Mimi's hand, threading their fingers together.

"So," he said, "walking or are we splurging on a cab this fine evening?"

Mimi paused to think about it, "Well, I suppose we could arrive in style."

"A limo, then," Roger said decisively with a sly wink.

"If only," Mimi sighed, dragging him out of the room.

"I think the subway is the closest we are going to get to something like that," she added.

"I'm not sure if I would call that style," Roger replied.

He had a point, Mimi had to admit, and she said so.

When they got outside, a light drizzle was beginning to fall and the clouds above were dark and pendulous. He and Riley had been doing pretty well for themselves with gigs the past couple weeks, so Roger hailed a cab. It was a good thing he did, too because by the time they got to Maureen and Joanne's building, it was pouring quite heavily. Luckily, the place was pretty upscale--it was amazing what one could rent on a lawyer salary--so there was an awning right by the front door where the cab pulled up to the curb.   
  
Roger slid out and held the door open for Mimi.

"I guess the suit has turned you into quite the gentleman," she teased fondly as she got out of the taxi. They walked up to the doorman who directed them towards the elevator and they went on up.

Once they got to the floor where Joanne's apartment was it didn't take much deducing to find the party. That was something Maureen had always been good at, throwing a good party. Before Roger even knocked on the door and Maureen was standing there grinning madly.   
  
"Hey guys come on in!" She greeted them.

As usual, Maureen had chosen a costume that didn't leave much to the imagination.

"If you're Wonder Woman," Roger said as they stepped past her, "is Joanne Superman?"   
  
Maureen pouted, "I wish. For some reason, she refuses to wear spandex, no matter how much I tell her she'd look sexy as hell in it. She did agree to be Clark Kent, though."   
  
Maureen gestured to the living room. Joanne wasn't dressed much differently than usual, with a nice pants suit. She had slicked down her hair and wore a pair of thick, black plastic glasses frames, which looked like they might be an old pair of Mark's with the lenses removed.

"Who are you two supposed to be?" Maureen asked as she examined them from head to toe.

"Bonnie and Clyde," Mimi smiled.   
  
"Are you sure it can't be Clyde and Bonnie?" Roger asked.   
  
"Very sure, doesn't roll off the tongue the same way Bonnie and Clyde does," Mimi nodded as she sat down on the couch.

"Trust you two to do a couple costume," drawled Riley, suddenly appearing at their side.

She plopped down next to Mimi before Roger could and he stuck his tongue out at her.

"What, you and Mark didn't?" Mimi asked, grinning at their friend.

"He did try to suggest it," Riley admitted, "but I already had other plans." She gestured to her blue and yellow dress.

"I think you're short seven people," Roger smirked.

Riley shook her head, "Is that the best you can do?"

"Probably," Roger said glibly, "it's Halloween, I'm allowed the day off."

Mimi, meanwhile, had been studying Riley's hair, comparing the way it looked to the way hers, which was pinned up, did.   
  
"Did you cut your hair?" she asked suddenly.   
  
Riley grinned, "Yup."   
  
"But you love your long hair!" Mimi exclaimed, "I thought you swore never to cut it."   
  
"Mark and I made a little agreement."   
  
"A sexy agreement?" asked Roger, waggling his eyebrows.   
  
Riley reached over Mimi and smacked Roger's arm, "A hair agreement. He said that I couldn't be Snow White with long hair, so I said that I'd cut my hair if he did something to his."   
  
Riley smirked and pointed towards the entrance to the kitchen, through which Mark could be seen helping Joanne distribute snacks into various bowls. At least, Roger thought it was Mark. The first thing he noticed was the jet black hair.

"Woah, well that's new!" Roger declared, "Is that permanent?"

Mark turned to his friend, "I think so..." He sighed, "which is why I'm never doing this again."   
  
"A deal is a deal," Riley folded her arms across her chest.   
  
"I thought Snow White was all rainbows and taking animals," Mimi replied, "you are something else entirely."   
  
Riley grinned, "Clearly you aren't too well acquainted with how the Brothers Grimm told her story."

"If it involves cutting off pieces of feet, like in Cinderella," Mark grumbled, "I don't want to know."

"You're just sore because I look better with short hair than you do with black hair," Riley said smugly.

Mark looked as if he was about to say something but he stopped himself, and just sighed.

"Well there must be a reason you dyed your hair, who are you supposed to be?" Mimi asked as she adjusted the knit cap on her head.

Mark turned to face them fully and spread his arms, grinning like an idiot.

Roger took in the plaid shirt and blue jeans, drawn in thick eyebrows over eyes that were for once not covered with glasses. Mark obviously thought he was being clever.   
  
"I don't get it," Mimi said.   
  
Mark's expression fell, "Come on, it's obvious!"   
  
When no guesses are forthcoming he sighed, "Martin Scorsese?"   
  
There was no reply.   
  
"He directed  _ Goodfellas _ ."   
  
Still nothing.   
  
"Whaddaya mean, I'm funny?" Mark quoted, thick accent in place, "Like funny how, the way I talk?"   
  
Riley snickered.   
  
"Come on, Rog, we saw the movie together," Mark huffed, obviously trying to stop himself from whining, "the one about the gangsters!"   
  
"Oh yeah," Roger said, "that one!"   
  
Mark looked pleased, but not extremely, and stalked back to the kitchen.   
  
"Told you nobody would get it," Maureen called after him, and Mark's shoulders tightened visibly.   
  
"Do you really remember that movie?" Mimi asked.   
  
Roger shrugged, "No, but did you see the look on his face? If I said so, it would have been like kicking a puppy."

Mimi bit at her lower lip to keep herself from laughing, "So now all we are waiting on is Collins?" she glanced around the room and noticed the philosopher’s absence, "he's probably planning some sort of entrance isn't he?"

"Well there was the one year he did scale the fire escape-" Maureen mused, "so I wouldn't be too surprised if he was."

"He scaled the fire escape?" Riley asked, incredulously, eyes wide.

"Are you really that surprised?" Roger chuckled.

"Yes!" Riley exclaimed, "I mean, why?    
  
"I don't really remember, but he scared the shit out of Benny and it was hilarious," Maureen snorted with laughter.   
  
"I think the reason you don't remember was because you were pre-gaming long before everyone else was," Roger replied.   
  
"It's always five o'clock somewhere, " Maureen shrugged, "besides I was young and foolish."

"And now you're old and foolish," Joanne teased, coming in with a tray of pigs-in-a-blanket.

Maureen smirked and strode over for a kiss.   
  
"If I'd said that," Mark said sourly, carrying his own tray of all-beef pigs-in-a-blanket for the Jews among them, "I would have gotten slapped."   
  
"She's cuter," Maureen told him, breaking away from Joanne.   
  
"Yeah, I kinda got that awhile ago," grumbled Mark.   
  
"Aw," Riley pouted, taking a kosher treat from his tray, "I think you're cuter, Marky."   
  
Mark looked slightly less put out.

"Ti eínai epáno skýles!" 

They all startled when Collins burst through the door wearing a sheet tied like a toga.   
  
"What?" Mimi laughed.   
  
"I said 'what's up, bitches' in Greek," Collins explained, holding up the bottle of Absolut he had brought.

"Hello Socrates," Joanne greeted as she took the bottle from him.

"You've done your homework!" Collins smiled, "Much better than most of my students."

"A combination of Miss Porter’s and Harvard will do that to you," Joanne smiled, "Is this your version of hemlock?"

"You could say that," Collins said, "You could also say it's my version of let's get so drunk we can't remember our names."

"I'll drink to that," Maureen laughed.   
  
"Exactly," Collins said with a grin.

"An interesting philosophy," Joanne replied while pouring herself a shot.

"Collins- I mean Socrates is a wise man," Roger replied, "and clearly knows what's best for us."

Joanne handed around shots and lifted hers.

"Cheers."   
  
They all clinked their glasses and drank.

Even as they were taking their shots, a knock on the door was heard. As Maureen went to play host, Joanne and Mark went back to the kitchen to bring out the rest of the snacks. Soon, the apartment was filled with music and talking.

"It's like half the city is here," Mimi laughed, hooking her arm through Roger's to drag him to the area where people were dancing.   
  
"That's Maureen for you," Roger laughed.

"Well this music is no good for a Charleston," Mimi smiled and looked around at the now very crowded apartment, "How does she know all these people?" Even living in the city her whole life Mimi was sure that she didn't know this many people.   
  
"I don't think she does," Roger replied, "She probably just went out and dragged random people off the streets."

Mimi giggled and draped her arms around Roger's neck. He placed his hands on her waist and they swayed to the music.

"You know, I think this is almost like our first real Halloween together," Mimi whispered as she shifted her weight from one foot to the next as she recalled the previous Halloween when the scars from Angel's death were still too fresh for them to want to do anything else. So another year on it was decided that mourning would just not do to honor Angel's memory.

  
"Well then I guess I'll just have to make it the best it can be," Roger smiled at her.

 


End file.
